Retention device for protective helmet



Dec. 31, 1968 A. L. LASTNIK ETAL RETENTION DEVICE FOR PROTECTIVE HELMET 7 Sheet of 2 Filed May 31. 1966 Dec. 31, 1968 LASTNIK ET AL 3,418,657

RETENTION DEVICE FOR PROTECTIVE HELMET Filed May 31, 1966 Sheet 2 of 2 United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flexible harness which snugly engages the lower portion of the human head to provide for retention of a protective helmet attached to the harness on the head during high impact conditions.

The present invention relates generally to a retention device for a protective helmet and more particularly to a device for retaining a protective helmet on the human head during severe impacts.

Helmets of various types have been employed to protect the head against impact. Also a variety of devices has been used therewith in efforts to secure these helmets to the heads of the wearers. Unfortunately, the prior art devices for retaining a helmet on the head have been characterized by serious weaknesses in that they permitted the helmet to roll forward on the head in the event of a severe impact, such as an airplane crash. This has frequently resulted in serious and often fatal head injuries due to loss of the helmet followed by striking the head against a hard object.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for retaining a protective helmet on the human head during impact regardless of the magnitude of the impact forces involved.

A further object is to provide a device for the abovedescribed purpose which will not in the most severe impacts result in cutting damage to the head or neck by the retention device.

A further object is to provide a helmet retention device which will be comfortable to wearer and which will not impair or limit head movement.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a helmet retention device embodying the invention, the helmet being shown in longitudinal vertical section, with a human head being shown in phantom illustrating the relationship of the helmet retention device and the helmet to the head on which they are worn;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the retention device in a helmet, the helmet being shown in transverse vertical section; and

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the helmet retention device spread out on a plane surface.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like characters designate like parts in all views, designates generally any suitable protective helmet such as a pilots protective helmet having an outer impact resistant molded plastic shell 11, a liner 12 of energy-absorbing material such as foamed plastic, and sizing pads 13 of resilient material for fitting the helmet to the head on which the helmet is to be worn. Obviously, the invention is applicable to other forms of helmets.

In the illustrated embodiment of our invention, the helmet retention device is generally designated at 14 and comprises a pair of flexible panels 15, preferably made of Patented Dec. 31, 1968 a high-strength fabric, for example, woven nylon fabric, adjustably joined at their rear extremities by a lacing 16 which is threaded through grommets 17 in the rear extremities of the panels. One end of chin strap 18 is attached to one of the panels at its lower front extremity. The chin strap 18 is made adjustable in length by buckle 19 through which the chin strap passes and may be snubbed at any desired point. A strap tab 20 mounted on buckle 19 comprises a snap fastener female element 21 which cooperates with a snap fastener male element 22 mounted in the lower front extremity of the other panel, thereby fastening and maintaining the chin strap in position under the chin when the helmet retention device is attached to the helmet and the combination is fitted to a human head. Pad 23 is slidably disposed on chin strap 18 to afford protection to the under portion of the chin against chafing or cutting action by the chin strap. Each of the panels 15 embodies two upwardly extending portions, one of which 24 is located near the upper front extremity of the panel and the other of which 25 is located intermediate of the two extremities of the panel spaced from the first upwardly extending portion and from the rear extremity of the panel. Each of the upwardly extending portions is provided with a grommet 26 whereby the panels are attached to the inner surface of the helmet by means of bolts 27 at points spaced inwardly from the front and rear of the helmet on each side thereof. Reinforcing tapes 28 are attached to the panels between the grommets 26 in each panel, and between the snap fastener male element 22 and the grommets in one panel, and between the grommets 26 and the lower front extremity of the other panel at the point of attachment of the chin strap. Reinforcing tapes 33 are attached to the panels along the edges of the rear extremities thereof. The grommets and snap fastener elements are clamped to the reinforcing tapes so that, when the harness retention device is subjected to high impact forces, the fabric of the panels will not be torn at the grommet attachment points.

In use, the helmet retention device is attached to the inner surface of the helmet at the points along the sides of the helmet spaced inwardly from the front and rear of the helmet as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 with the lacing 16 adjusted to produce a snug engagement of the panels with the neck and head of the wearer of the helmet. The points of attachment to the helmet and the configuration of the upwardly extending portion of the panels 15 are adapted to locate this area of engagement with the head and neck below an imaginary plane 29 extending from the point of the chin 30 of the head 31 of the wearer of the helmet to the external occipital protuberance 32 in the back of the wearers head. When the chin strap is properly adjusted to snub the chin strap about the chin with the pad placed directly beneath the chin and centered with respect thereto as shown in FIGURE 1, the wearer of the helmet is able to sustain large impact forces without losing the helmet since the impact forces are spread over a large area of his neck and head, and the helmet is effectively prevented from being rolled off the head.

As described above, the points of attachment of the helmet retention device to the helmet are spaced along the sides of the helmet to permit the retention device to be adjustably laced to fit snugly against the back of the head and neck below the external occipital protuberance on the head of the wearer. Thus, if a crash occurs and the helmet starts to roll forward as a result of inertial forces, the back of the helmet retention device grips the back of the head below the external occipital protuberance. The tendency of the helmet to roll for-ward off the head is resisted by the upper edge of the rear portion of the retention device coming into contact with the external occipital protuberance with the result that the cross sectional area of the head encircled by the retention device increases causing the retention device to grip the head and neck more firmly. The location of the retention de vice below the imaginary plane 29 extending from the tip of the point of the chin to the external occipital protuberance permits it to snugly engage the head and neck in an area where the circumferential size of the properly adjusted retention device will be substantially less than the circumferential size of the head above this area. Thus, any force causing the helmet to roll forward off the head will result in the upper edge of the rear portion of the retention device as well as the entire area of the retention device being drawn into engagement with a rapidly increasing cross sectional area of the head.

In addition to keeping the panels extended toward the front of the head and helmet, thus maintaining a snug fit of the device across the back of the head and neck and along the sides of the neck, the chin prevents loss of the helmet by being rolled backward off the head in the event that the head is moved sharply forward and the helmet is stopped by a stationary object. The reinforcing tapes 28 extend over the principal lines of force between the chin strap and the helmet. Thus, in addition to providing an anchorage for grommets 26, the tapes 28 reduce distortion of the panels 15 during normal use of the helmet and prevent damage to the fabric of the panels when a large force is concentrated on the chin strap. The retention device will be much more effective in a crash if it remains substantially undistorted in shape throughout its normal use.

When properly adjusted and fitted to the wearers head, therefore, the helmet retention device renders virtually impossible the accidental removal of the helmet from the wearers head. Furthermore, the spreading of the forces of impact throughout the panels and the application of these forces over a large area of the head and neck reduces the possibility of injury such as the cutting action encountered in the use of straps or the like.

The helmet retention device of the invention is adaptable and adjustable to many different sizes and shapes of human heads and necks to obtain protection against loss of the helmet in severe impacts. Thus, one size of retention device is adequate for a majority of sizes of heads and necks. The invention, therefore, provides a very economical as well as a most effective solution to the problem of maintaining protective helmets on the heads of airmen or other persons during crashes or other severe impacts.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangement of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art, within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A device in combination with a protective helmet for retaining said helmet on the human head during impact comprising a pair of flexible panels disposed on opposite sides of and substantially encircling the neck and head of the wearer below an imaginary plane extending from the point of the chin to the external occipital protuberance in the back of the head,

the upper edges of the rear portions of said panels lying below said imaginary plane, each of said panels having upwardly extending portions spaced from the rear extremities thereof,

means attaching said portions to said helmet at a plurality of spaced points along the respective opposite sides thereof,

said points of attachment being spaced inwardly from the front and rear of the helmet,

' an adjustable chin strap joining the frontal extremities of said panels and capable of engaging under the chin of the wearer, and adjustable means joining the rear extremities of the said panels whereby said device may be adjusted to snugly engage the wearers neck and head below said imaginary plane to prevent said helmet from being dislodged from the head.

2. A device for retaining a protective helmet on the human head during impact in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pair of flexible panels are comprised of a high-strength fabric.

3. A device for retaining a protective helmet on the human head during impact in accordance with the claim 1 wherein said flexible panels are provided with flexible reinforcing members extending from the portions thereof to be attached to said helmet to the points of attachment of said chin strap.

4. A device for retaining a protective helmet on the human head during impact in accordance with claim 1 wherein said panels have upwardly extending portions attached to the interior sidewalls of said helmet at a plurality of spaced points along the respective opposite sides thereof.

5. A device for retaining a protective helmet on the human head during impact in accordance with claim 1 wherein said adjustable means joining the rear extremities of said panels comprises a lacing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,248,366 7/ 1941 Lewis 2-3 2,354,840 8/1944 Seletz 26 2,802,212 8/1957 Finken 23 2,871,484 2/1959 Kinken et a1 2,6 XR 2,991,478 7/ 1961 Zbikowski 23 3,039,108 6/ 1962 Lohrenz 23 FOREIGN PATENTS 530,434 12/ 1940 Great Britain.

JAMES R. BOLER, Primary Examiner. 

